This comes after US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich….reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping plan to meet virtually before the end of this year, CNBC reported quoting a senior administration official on Wednesday (local time).
The two leaders reached an “agreement in principle” for a virtual bilateral meeting, the official said. It will be part of an effort to manage competition between the two countries, they added, CNBC reported.
This comes after US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich.
It noted that the meeting built on the phone talks between Biden and Xi Jinping in September 9, adding that Sullivan raised areas where the US and China have an interest in working together to address vital transnational challenges and ways to manage risks in the relationship.
“Mr. Sullivan raised a number of areas where we have a concern with the PRC’s actions, including actions related to human rights, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and Taiwan,” the statement readout said.
Sullivan will also travel to Brussels, Belgium and Paris, France this week.
Biden, Xi to abide by Taiwan pact
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to abide by the “Taiwan agreement”, BBC reported.
Biden appeared to be referring to Washington’s longstanding “one China” policy under which it recognises China rather than Taiwan.
However, this agreement also allows Washington to maintain a “robust unofficial” relationship with Taiwan.
The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Taiwan and Beijing.
It has sent record numbers of military jets into Taiwan’s air defence zone for four consecutive days, which some analysts say could be seen as a warning to Taiwan’s president ahead of the island’s national day.
Taiwan has its own constitution, military, and democratically elected leaders, and considers itself a sovereign state.
Beijing, however, views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve unification with the island.
The “One China” policy, which Biden and Xi are believed to have referred to, is a key cornerstone of Sino-US relations but is distinct from the One China principle, whereby China insists Taiwan is an inalienable part of one China to be reunified one day, the report said.
“I’ve spoken with (Mr) Xi about Taiwan. We agree … we’ll abide by the Taiwan agreement,” said President Biden. “We made it clear that I don’t think he should be doing anything other than abiding by the agreement.